Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes


My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

Every Other Day plunges us straight into the drama that is Kali's life and takes us on action packed thrill-ride of a story that doesn't pause for breath! In every 2 day cycle Kali is completely human for 24 hours, and a faster, stronger, blood-thirsty demon hunter for the next 24 hours. There is a constant countdown as Kali is continually aware of her impending next change, and this repeated counting down makes the book feel more pacey, and gives a permanent sense of urgency. Kali is a tough character- a demon hunter who works alone, and pushes everyone away.


The story is set in a reality where everybody knows about vampires and zombies, hellhounds and demons, because Darwin discovered them and revealed their existence to the world 200 years ago. Kali has always kept her ability a secret, and distanced herself from family and friends. This changes when she starts at a new school and meets lovable quirky Skylar, and bitchy cheerleader Bethany, and inadvertantly entangles them in her lastest demon slaying mission. I liked this cobbled-together team of misfits though, and the interactions between them were sometimes strained, sometimes funny, and sometimes sweet, but always enjoyable to read.


When Kali spots that Bethany has been infected by a demon who will shortly kill her, she decides to take the demon into herself instead, knowing that she will only have to make it through one day as a human and the next time she changes her toxic blood will destroy the demon. Nothing runs smoothly though, and Kali and crew must survive unknown attacking demons, shady dealings at her father's laboratory, and, disturbingly, a voice in her head brought in by the demon infection.


Having read and liked Jennifer Lynn Barnes' other series Raised by Wolves I can say that the two main characters Bryn and Kali are very similar- both tomboyish, tough, and self-sacrificing. Actually, in terms of the romance plot as well, reading about Kali and Zev was exactly like reading about Bryn and Chase again. Their love is of the "we are destined to be together" kind of love- but with everything else going on, there isn't really any time for a traditional date, or even a normal conversation. The whole story races by in a rush.


I liked Every Other Day for the action, the feisty likable characters, and the twists in the story that kept me guessing.




Thanks to Egmont publishers and Netgalley for the advance e-copy of the book.